Vasily Gordov

Vasily Nikolaevich Gordov (12 December 1896-24 August 1950) was a Colonel-General of the Soviet Red Army during World War II. Gordov commanded the Stalingrad Front between July and August 1942, during Case Blue.

Biography
Vasily Nikolaevich Gordov was born in Matveyevka, Ufa Governorate, Russian Empire in 1896, and he joined the Imperial Russian Army in 1915. Gordov enlisted in the Russian Red Guards in 1917 and the Red Army in 1918, rising to command an infantry regiment during the Russian Civil War. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for his services in the struggle against the anarchist leader Nestor Makhno. From 1925 to 1926, he served as an adviser to the Mongolian People's Army, and he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1932. At the start of World War II, he served as chief of staff of the Soviet 7th Army, fighting in the Winter War with Finland. He was removed from command after alleged failures, and he was shifted to the Baltic Military District, where he became its Chief of Staff. In June 1940, he was promoted to Major-General, and he commanded the Soviet 21st Army at the First Battle of Smolensk and at the First Battle of Kiev. From July to 1942, he commanded the Stalingrad Front, succeeding Semyon Timoshenko and preceding Andrei Yeremenko. In 1947, he was overheard criticizing Stalin's policies, and he was executed at Lefortovo Prison in 1950.